OK, I’m writing this simply to blow off steam. I tried to check my e-mail, and I also wanted to send a couple. Kept getting error messages, a different one each time.So I got the number for Outlook Express Tech Support. Had to wait a long time on hold “due to the unusually high volume of calls.” And of course it took even longer to connect because they have forgotten that not everyone has a touch-tone phone.
So I finally got a real, live, human being. What I was told boils down to this. I didn’t do anything wrong, something is screwed up in their sysytem, they are working to correct it, and it could take a whole day to fix. When I asked what had caused the problem the answer was “I don’t have that information” When I asked to speak to someone who does have that information I was told, “there isn’t anyone here like that” Grrrrrr. So I’m out of touch when I am trying to find out some information, and all I can do is wait.
Very lame rant, I know. But why did I yield to temptation and sell my soul to Bill Gates?
Better to write and blow off steam, I understand the need.
I can’t believe that the Outlook Tech didn’t ask you to e-mail copies of the error messages you were receiving, and offer to e-mail you information from the M/S knowledge base in return.
DdD, please forgive me for being ignorant, but I can’t figure out how to print out the error messages I keep getting.
When I did try earlier to send an email it got stuck in “Outgoing Mail” Now, just a short while ago, when I tried to sign in again the message went out, but I still can’t sign in to check whatever incoming mail I may have. My ID and password are correct, I know that.
OK, I figured out how to copy the error messages. They will follow here. Also, when I hit the “OK” button (the one next to the Cancel and Help buttons, it disappears for a few seconds, then comes back again as if I hadn’t done anything. And keepsappearing and appearing and appearing.
Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection. Possible causes for this include server problems, network problems, or a long period of inactivity. Account: ‘pop3.email.msn.com (1)’, Server: ‘pop3.email.msn.com’, Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Error Number: 0x800CCC0F
Unable to logon to the server using Secure Password Authentication. Account: ‘pop3.email.msn.com (1)’, Server: ‘pop3.email.msn.com’, Protocol: POP3, Server Response: ‘-ERR authorization failed’, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 0x800CCC90, Error Number: 0x800CCC18
I think I will just have to wait until tomorrowm and the 24 hours have passed. Then I will have a right to get steamed. But I won’t yell at the guy on the phone, I feel sorry for him, he’s probably up to his neck in irate customers!
Well, I figure if it’s not broken, why get a new one? And I just got up a little while ago and checked the email, it seems to be working now. But I didn’t get as much spam as I expected, maybe that’s worth the trouble.
Baker, that’s a Microsoft problem; what your errors are saying is that they know the addresses of the mail servers, but they can’t find those servers at those addresses.
I don’t know who your internet provider is, but it is a slight possibility the problem lies with them. If their DNS (Domain Name System) servers are not working properly, then that would give you the same error. (A DNS server takes that address you put in–“pop3.email.msn.com”–and translates it into the real, number addresses the internet uses. So, if your ISP’s DNS is not translating it correctly–or just doesn’t have the updated record–then you’re going to find yourself in the same position as you currently are.)
My feeling is, though, that if Microsoft Support is claiming responsibility for this issue, then they’ll have to take care of it.
Make sense?
Regardless of whose fault it is (comapny-wise, I mean), be assured that it isn’t yours. Which means any time this happens, you’ll have to wait until they fix the issue.
Yup. Norton’s latest updates have caused havoc… they’ve enabled script blocking in OE, which often breaks it if it’s set to scan your incoming and outgoing mail.
Every 0x800ccc0e/f/d error I’ve gotten the past couple weeks has been due to Norton’s updates. Grah. Most people don’t even know they’re using Norton and it automatically updates, let alone realizing that it’s not my fault (I do support for their ISP) that the update broke OE. I get a lot of “Oh sure, blame someone else” and the like.
FWIW, I had this same problem on Tuesday night. I shut down and the next morning, everything was fine. Of course, my OE account is, at best, a tertiary account, so it really wasn’t a problem for me.
